Safety latch mechanism



Feb. 9, 1960 H. usE 2,924,473

SAFETY LATCH MECHANISM Filed July 9, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 F In yen tor Jferer/ firause H. KRAUSE SAFETY LATCH MECHANISM Feb. 9, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 9, 1956 Feb. 9, 1960 us 2,924,473

SAFETY LATCH MECHANISM Filed July 9, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 17122972 for Jiererz jfrause y fariei" garzer fltzorn eys Feb. 9, 1960 H. KRAUSE 2,924,473

SAFETY LATCH MECHANISM Filed July 9, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Par/1?)" g Gaffer United States Patent SAFETY LATCH MECHANISM Herbert Krause, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Chicago Forging and Manufacturing Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware 3 Application July 9, 1956, Serial N 0. 596,463

Claims. (Cl. 292-11) .This invention relates to latch mechanisms forautomobiles and the like and has for one purpose thereof to provide an effective safety latch mechanism.

. Another purpose is to provide a latch structure having a main latch and a safety latch, each operable by the same keeper element and by a single release element.

Another purpose is to provide a latch structure having a main and safety latch, each movable into latching position by a' single keeper element employed with said latch structure.

Another purpose is to provide a latching structure having a main latch and safety latch positionable to retain a keeper element at predetermined positions.

Another purpose is to provide a safety latch and release mechanism wherein a release element serves as a locking means for the safety latch.

Another purpose is to provide a safety latch yieldingly urged toward non-latching position.

Another purpose is to provide an over-center safety latch element for use in automobile hood latches and the like.

Other purposes will appear from time to time during the course of the specification and claims.

I illustrate my invention more or less diagrammatically in the following drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a partial side view of a vehicle illustrating my invention in dotted lines;

Figure 2 is an end elevation on an enlarged scale and illustrating the device of my invention in non-latching position;

Figure 3 is a view similar to that of Figure 2 and illustrating my device in an intermediate position;

Figure 4 is a view similar to that of Figure 3 with parts illustrated in latched position;

Figure 5 is a view taken on the line 55 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a view taken on the line 66 of Figure 3;

Figure 7 is a side elevation.

Referring now to the drawings, the numeral 1 generally indicates a latch plate. The plate 1 may be suitably attached to a vehicle or to the hood thereof byany suitable attachment means extending through attaching apertures 2. The plate 1 has a flared groove or inset or latching slot 3 generally centrally positioned thereon and extending inwardly from one edge 4 of the plate 1, the opening or-slot 3 has its outwardly flared opposite side edges 5, 6 communicating with the edge 4 and may extend to a point somewhat beyond the center of the plate 1.

Rotatablyor pivotally mounted on the plate 1 and to one side of the slot 3 is the main latch element 10. The latch 10 is mounted for rotation on a pivot pin or bolt 11. A spring element 12, of substantial strength surrounds the pivot 11 andhas its opposite ends 13, 14 in engagement with the plate 1 and latch 10 respectively to urge the latch 10 toward rotation in counterclockwise direction, as the parts are shown in the drawing. The plate 1 may carry a shock absorbing remitting abutment 2,924,473 Patented Feb. 9, 1960 ice 15 which may be formed of rubber or the like. The element 15 may be positioned on the plate 1 to be engaged by an offset or car 16 on the latch 10 when the latch is moved the maximum desired distance away from latching position, the spring 12 being effective to urge the latch 10' toward non-latching position.

The latch 10 has a keeper engaging projection 20 which, when the latch is in non-latching position, overlies the slot 3. Spaced from the projection 20 on the latch 10 is a latching projection 21 which, when the latch is in nonlatching. position, is wholly away from and out of alignment with the slot 3 or any portion thereof.

The keeper engaging projection 20 has in turna locking ear portion 22 at its outer extremity, the curved outer edge 23 of the projection 20 being bent or curved rearwardly upon itself as at 24 to form the projection or car 22 A looking and release lever element 30 is pivotally or rotatably mounted, as at 31 on the plate 1 at a point on the opposite side of the slot 3 from the latch lever 10. A spring 32 surrounds the pivot 31 and has its opposite ends 33, 34 in engagement with the plate 1 and the lever 30 to urge the lever toward latch-locking position and away from releasing position. The leverv 30 has a latchlocking projection 35 which is bounded by a perpendicularly disposed latching abutment wall 36, the spring 32 being effective to urge the wall 36 into position to be contacted by the edge 23 of the latch projection 20 when the latch is moved toward latching position. The wall 36 has a lower laterally disposed porton 37 positioned'for engagement with the edge 24 of the latch car 22 when the latch is moved into latching position. The lever30 has an ear 40 at its outer end which may be engaged by an operating element, such as the well-known Bowden wire, 41, though of course the lever 30 could be operated by various devices without departing from the nature and scope of my invention.

A slot 50 may be formed in the plate 1 beneath the area of rotation of the lever 30 and may, for example, take the arcuate form illustrated in the drawings herein.

Pivotally mounted, as at 60, on the opposite face of the plate 1 from that on which the elements 30, 10 are mounted, as the parts are shown in the drawings, is the safety latch lever 61 of my invention. The safety latch 61 may be generally L-shaped in overall configuration and may have a keeper engaging portion 62 and a latching portion 63 extending from the pivot 60 and movable into positions overlying the latching slot 3. A camrning wall portion 64 may extend laterally from an edge of the latch 61 and may be positioned generally on the opposite side of the pivot 60 from the elements or por: tions 62, 63. The camming surface 64 may be generally arcuate and may lie in the plane of an arc about the pivot 60. A yielding means such as the spring 65 may be connected at one end to the latch 63 as at 66 and at the opposite end to a safety latch release lever 67 as at 68. The lever 67 is pivotally mounted to the plate 1 as indicated at 70 and, as the parts are shown, is mounted on the same face of the plate as that which supports the safety latch 61. The safety latch release lever 67 may carry an abutment car 71 bent from one edge' of the lever 67 and extending through the slot 50 in position to be contacted by an abutment surface or edge of the lever 30. It will be realized that the lever .30 could carry an abutment surface extending through the slot 50 in place of the car 71 and that a variety of means of bringing the lever 30 into engagement with lever 67 without departing from the nature and scope of my invention.

The lever 67 carries an arcuate, laterally disposed safety latch abutting wall portion 75 which is joinedby an angularly disposed relatively straight'locking' Wall portion 76. The safety latch 61 is inwardly offset as at 77 along the rear-edge 76 of the keeper engaging portion 62, the offset 77 being bounded at one end by the laterally disposed end edge of the element 64 and at its opposite end'by the edge 78, the offset377 being formed and adapted'to receive the outer lower surface of the arcuate abutment 75 as further appears herein below. I

Illustrated herein is a suitable keeper element 80 which may comprise a generally L-shaped rod-like member having a threaded end 81 for engagement with Suitable attaching means to secure the keeper 80 to a vehicle or hood therefor and to the perpendicularly disposed latch engaging finger portion 82.

' Whereas I have described and illustrated a practical I and operativedevice, nevertheless, many changes may bemade in the size, shape, number and disposition of parts without departing from the spirit of my invention; I therefore wish my description and drawings to be taken as in a broad sense illustrative or diagrammatic,

rather than as limiting me to my precise showing.

The use and operation of my invention are as follows:

As the keeper finger 82 moves toward the latch plate 1, it engages first the edge 62a of the keeper engaging portion 62 on the safety latch 61. Continued movement of the finger 82 inwardly through the slot 3 causes rota- 'tion of the safety latch 61 against the action of the relatively weak spring 65 to move the latch portion 62 out of alignment with the slot 3. Rotation of the safety latch 61 produces a sliding or camming action between the arcuate elements 64, 75' and holds the lever 67 out of locking engagement with the safety latch 61.

As the safety latch portion 62 is moved toward the position it occupies when the safety latch is in latching v position, the keeper finger 82 is brought into engagement with the main latch keeper engaging projection 20. Continued inward movement of the keeper 82 thereafter rotates the safety latch toward full latching position and brings the safety latch portion 63 into latching position wherein it bridges the open flared mouth of the slot 3 and permits entry of the locking abutment 75 on the lever 67 into the offset 77 to lock the safety latch in latching position.

Continued inward movement of the keeper 82 there- .after rotates the main latch 10 against the action of the spring 12. The edge 23 is brought into abutting engagement with the wall 36 on the lever 30 to move the lever 30 out of locking position against the action of the spring 32 and to hold it there until the main latch 10 has been rotated into latching position at which point the spring 32 is effective to snap the wall portion 37 into engaging position with the edge 24 to lock the latch 10 in'latching'position, rotation of the latch 10 by the keeper 82 having been effective to rotate the latch projection 21 into a position overlying the slot 3 at a point inwardly spaced from the safety latch portion 63.

To release the latching structure above described, the lever 30 is rotated against the action of the spring 32. This action removes the abutment 37 from engagement with the edge 24 of the latch 10 and permits the relatively powerful spring 12 to snap the main latch 10 toward non-latching position and to, in effect, connect the keeper 82 outwardly through the slot 3.

Movement of thekeeper 82 outwardly from the slot 3 however is prevented by the safety latch portion 63 which now bridges the mouth of the latching slot 3. Thus unintended release of the keeper 82 from the slot 3 is prevented. Continued rotation of the lever 30, however, against the action of the spring 32 is effective to bring the latch 30 into engagement with the safety latch release lever 67, the abutment 71 being shown to be spaced a substantial distance from the position occupied by the lever 30 in locking or main latch releasing position. As the lever 30 is further rotated against the spring 32 to move the lever 67 out of locking engagement with the safety latch-61, thespring is lengthened. When the lever 67 is, however, out of engagement with the latch 61, the spring 65 is effective to snap the safety latch 61 toward non-latching position and thus to move the latch portion 63 out of the escape path of the keeper 82 and to move the portion 62 into position across the slot 3 for lateral engagement by' the keeper 82 when it is again moved toward latching position, the abutment elements 64, 75 remaining in contact one with the other to hold the lever 67 out of locking engagement with the latch 61.

I claim:

1. In a latching structure, a latch plate, a keeper receiving opening in said plate, a safety latch rotatable on said plate and having a keeper engaging portion overlying said opening and a keeper retaining portion rotatable into position overlying said opening in response to engagement of said first-named portion by said keeper, a main latch rotatable on said plate and having a keeper engaging portion overlying said opening and a keeper retaining portion movable into position overlying-said opening in response to engagement of said main latch keeper engaging portion by said keeper, said main latch keeper-engaging portion being positioned for engagement by said keeper after said safety latch has been rotated thereby into latching engagement, the keeper-retaining portion of said main latch being positionedbetween said keeper and said keeper-retaining portion of said safety latch after said latches have been rotated into latching engagement.

2. In a latching device, a latch plate, a keeper receiving opening in said latch plate, a safety latch rotatable on said plate and having a keeper contacting portion overlying said opening when said safety latch is in non-latching position and a keeper-retaining portion overlying said opening when said safety latch is in'latching position, a main latch rotatable on said plate and having a keeper contacting portion overlying said opening at a point spaced from said safety latch when said main latch is in nonlatching position and a keeper-retaining portion overlying said opening when said main latch is in latching position, said main latch keeper-contacting portion being positioned for engagement by said keeper after said safety latch has been rotated thereby into locking engagement, yielding means for urging said safety latch and main latch toward non-latching position and means for locking said main latch and said safety latch in latching position against the action of said yielding means.

3. In a hood latch structure for vehicles and the like, a latch plate, a keeper receiving opening in said latch plate, a safety latch rotatably mounted on said latch plate and having a portion overlying said opening in position to be contacted by a keeper moving into said opening, said safety latch having a latching portion rotatable into latching position in response to movement of said first-named safety latch portion by said keeper and means for locking said safety latch in latching position,- a main latch pivotally mounted on said plate for movement in a path intersecting the travel of said keeper beyond said safety latch, said main latch having a portion overlying said opening in position to be contacted by said keeper after said contact of said keeper with said safety latch, said main latch having a latching portion rotatable into latching position in response to movement of said first-named main latch portion by said keeper, the latching position of said main latch latching portion being between said keeper and said safety latch latching portion.

4. In a hood latch structure for vehicles and the like, a latch plate, a keeper receiving opening in said'latch plate, a safety latch rotatably mounted on said latch plate and having a portion overlying said opening in position to be contacted by a keeper moving into said opening, said safety latch having a latching portion rotatable into latching position in response to movement of said firstnamed safety latch portion by said keeper, means for locking said safety latch in latching position, a main latch rotatably mounted on said plate, said main latch having a portion overlying said opening at a point spaced from said first-named safety latch portion and positioned to be contacted by said keeper after said keeper has rotated said safety latch into latching position, said main latch having a latching portion rotatable into latching position in response to movement of said first-named main latch portion by said keeper and means for locking said main latch in latching position including a lever rotatably mounted on said plate and characterized by and including an abutment portion on said lever and an abutment portion on said safety latch locking means whereby the rotation of said lever in a direction away from locking engagement with said main latch is effective to move said safety latch locking means out of engagement with said safety latch.

' 5. In a hood latch assembly, a latch plate, a keeperreceiving opening in said plate, a keeper adapted to penetrate said opening, a safety latch pivoted on said plate and having portions rotatable into positions intersecting the excursion of said keeper in said opening, a main latch pivoted on said plate and having portions rotatable into positions intersecting the excursion of said keeper in said opening at a point beyond the intersection of said safety latch portions, said safety latch and main latch being sequentially rotatable into latching position by said keeper in response to sequential contact of said keeper with said safety and main latch portions and means on said plate yieldingly urged into locking engagement with said safety and main latches when said latches are in locking positions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Saunders Apr. 1, 1941 2,253,660 Tell Aug. 26, 1941 2,446,934 Krause Aug. 10, 1948 2,508,090 Beems May 16, 1950 2,603,516 Roethel July 15, 1952 2,644,707 Dall July 7, 1953 2,646,299 Kramer July 21, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,039,871 France Oct. 12, 1953 

